Humza Yousaf, Phillip Schofield and Patrick Harvie (May 29, 2023) update

Here's the letter I received from the First Minister in response to my complaint about Patrick Harvie and Scotland's Ministerial Code.

So Humza Yousaf is saying that Harvie's personal conduct, as a minister, has nothing to do with him as First Minister.

Yet his predecessor, Nicola Sturgeon, forced her Finance Secretary (Derek Mackay) to resign over personal, private text messages to a 16-year-old schoolboy.

Poor judgment, but nothing illegal - as Phillip Schofield might argue?

So I think I shall write again to Mr Yousaf because he is turning a blind eye to a constituent being cancelled and blacklisted by a member of the Scottish Government.

 

Scottish Ministers, Blacklisting and Unfinished Business (May 12, 2023)

I have had to write to the First Minister again because Humza Yousaf's predecessor (Nicola Sturgeon) left office without responding properly to my complaint about Patrick Harvie and Scotland's ministerial code.

I have no idea where Nicola Sturgeon got the daft idea that I was complaining about Patrick Harvie as a Glasgow MSP,  certainly not from me, but I have explained the position to Humza Yousaf and expect him to address what amounts to 'blacklisting' from a member of the Scottish government.

If not, perhaps the only solution would be to test in court what I believe to be a breach of my rights under the Equality Act 2010. 

Dear Humza Yousaf

Patrick Harvie - Scotland's Ministerial Code and The Equality Act 2010

I wrote to your predecessor as First Minister on 17 February 2023, but unfortunately Nicola Sturgeon left office without responding to my letter regarding Patrick Harvie, Scotland's Ministerial Code and the Equality Act 2010.

Patrick Harvie 'cancelled' or 'blacklisted' me for attending a rally in support of women's rights at the Scottish Parliament in October 2022.

I am sure you agree that putting a Glasgow constituent on a blacklist in this way is both cowardly and morally repugnant, but to my mind Patrick Harvie's conduct is a breach of Scotland’s ministerial code - in addition to trampling over my rights under the law, specifically the Equality Act 2010.

If Mr Harvie is not prepared to reconsider his position, in my view he is completely unfit to serve as member of the Scottish Government.

I trust you will now revisit my letter to Nicola Sturgeon (attached) and consider my complaint properly, as requested, under the Ministerial Code.

Kind regards

Mark Irvine

----- Forwarded Message -----

From: Mark Irvine <markirvine@compuserve.com>

To: firstminister@gov.scot <firstminister@gov.scot>

Sent: Friday, February 17, 2023 at 04:59:30 PM GMT

Subject: Re: Ministerial Code

Dear First Minister 

Patrick Harvie - Ministerial Code and The Equality Act 2010

Thank you for your letter dated 24 January 2023.

I don't know who advised you that my complaint regarding Patrick Harvie related to his role as a Glasgow MSP, but whoever did so is wrong and completely mistaken.

My complaint against Patrick Harvie is about his behaviour while in office as a Scottish minister - in the same way that Derek Mackay and Mark McDonald, for example, were properly held to account for their personal conduct while occupying ministerial positions in your government.

In both cases Mr Mackay's and Mr McDonald’s behaviour were viewed as falling below the high standard expected of an experienced politician in a senior leadership position which resulted in you, as First Minister, sacking both individuals or requiring them to resign from their ministerial posts.

In Patrick Harvie's case I am clearly being punished or ‘cancelled’ by one of your ministers because I attended a rally in support of women's rights at the Scottish Parliament on 6 October 2022.

In effect, Patrick Harvie is discriminating against me for holding beliefs on women’s rights and single sex spaces which are protected under the Equality Act 2010.

As such, I believe Patrick Harvie’s behaviour to be in breach of the law as well as Scotland’s ministerial code and if he is not prepared to reconsider his position, I fail to see how he can be fit to serve as a member of the Scottish Government.

I hope you will have the time to reflect on this matter before leaving office and look forward to hearing from you soon.

Kind regards

Mark Irvine